Fourth Annual Davis Music Festival set for June

The Davis Music Festival, now in its fourth year, will span the weekend, beginning Friday, June 20, at 6 p.m. and ending in the late afternoon on Sunday, June 22.

The festival will showcase more than 50 acts in 11 different venues and is expected to attract 2,000 concertgoers to downtown Davis where they will enjoy music spanning genres from folk to funk to metal.

One highlight of this year's festival is the appearance of Lake Tahoe based Dead Winter Carpenters who blend Americana roots-rock with a tinge of straightforward 'tell-it-like-it-is' Alt. Country to bring hard-hitting performances that are as edgy as they are whimsical.

Other featured performers include the return of charged, edgy lyricist, John Vanderslice, who "has absorbed just about all the details of how to produce a sublime musical performance, and he's more than willing to show them to you", as quoted in SF Weekly last fall, along with a legion of Bay Area, Sacramento and local favorites including Cherry Royale, Rin Tin Tiger, French Cassettes, Boca do Rio, West Nile Ramblers and Element Brass Band. Three bands from Southern California, Opus Orange, Two Sheds and Alicia Murphy will delight their loyal fan bases who will undoubtedly welcome them back to town.

Participating venues include a variety of Davis favorites, including Sophia's Thai Kitchen, Third Space, G Street Wunderbar, Little Prague, City Tavern, and Vini Wine Bar, as well as the all-ages environs of Delta of Venus, The Lodge and Rock Band University. The outdoor stage sponsored by Armadillo Music & Tickets caters to kids of all ages, and the celebration will conclude on Sunday at Woodstock's.

The Davis Music Festival is the annual flagship event of the nonprofit organization Music Only Makes Sense, dedicated to raising funds to benefit music and performing arts education programs in local public schools. The Festival depends heavily on the generous support of community businesses and sponsors to help with production expenses, along with voluntary manpower driven by the Davis Live Music Collective.

Director Danny Tomasello said, "Sponsorships and support from all of the artists and the DLMC really makes planning this party a lot of fun for several months leading up to the third week in June. We can't wait to deliver."

Advance tickets are $22 general admission and are available at Armadillo Music (205 F St., Davis), or online at www.davismusicfest.com, Prices increase to $25 at the door on the day of the festival. The provided wristband will grant attendees access to every venue over the weekend event. A limited supply of Single Venue Entry tickets will be available, as well.